2021 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Swimming: Monday, May 17th – Sunday, May 23rd, 2021
- Budapest, Hungary
- Prelims at 10:00 am local/Finals at 6:00 pm local
- Event Site
- Entry List
- Live Results
- Live Stream
The men’s 200m freestyle was a lights-out race, as another member of the 1:44 club has been officially initiated with Russia’s Martin Malyutin‘s 1:44.79 victory.
Firing off an opening half of 51.28 before closing in 53.51, Malyutin kept the edge over the British duo of Duncan Scott and Tom Dean who finished with the silver and bronze in respective efforts of 1:45.19 and 1:45.34. Both are also co-members of the 1:44 club and the former tied Malyutin for bronze in this event at the 2019 FINA World Championships.
It was 200m fly world record holder and victor here, Kristof Milak of Hungary, who scorched the fastest opening half of 51.03 before backing off to wind up 5th, with Lithuanian ace Danas Rapsys also landing off the podium in 4th in 1:45.72.
Robin Hanson broke the Swedish national record last night with his semi swim of 1:46.50 but added nearly a second to place 7th this evening.
For Malyutin, the Russian’s previous personal best in this 200m free event rested at the 1:45.18 he posted at this April’s Russian Championships. That was faster than the 1:45.63 he and Scott both registered for bronze in Gwangju.
Scott owns a lifetime best of 1:44.47 in this one of his many events, while teammate Dean also recently got under 1:45 with his big-time 1:44.58 also from just this past April. As such, his result here bumps him up to become the 4th fastest performer in the world this season.
2020-2021 LCM Men 200 Free
Dean
1:44.22
| 2 | Duncan Scott | GBR | 1:44.26 | 07/27 |
| 3 | Hwang Sunwoo | KOR | 1:44.62 | 07/25 |
| 4 | Katsuo Matsumoto | JPN | 1:44.65 | 04/05 |
| 5 | Fernando Scheffer | BRA | 1:44.66 | 07/27 |
Malyutin now ranks as the 12th fastest performer all-time, inching closer to the seemingly untouchable Russian national record of 1:43.90 Danila Izotov logged at the supersuited 2009 FINA World Championships. As a consolation, Malyutin’s 1:44.79 lifetime best overtook the previous European Championships record of 1:44.89 Pieter van den Hoogenband scored at the 2002 edition of this meet.
Malyutin’s last 50 reminded me of 2009 Biedermann.
Malyutin has an insane freestyle technique. He picks his head up almost out of the water, violently jerking it to the side on every breath. This probably makes his head and hips drip on every stroke. He also stops kicking during every stroke cycle.
How in the world can he go so fast?
maybe we have a bunch of americans primed for 1:44s this year, but what does it say about USAswimming (and ncaa system) that we’ll be fighting to medal in the 800FR?
one of the largest selection pools (population), a whole slew of 47. freestylers, but seemingly lacking on 200, 400, 800 capabilities. is the world catching up due to our constant short course focus?
Id love to read a swimswam article about this with a little more in-depth analysis!
PVDH’s 1:44.89 from 2002 has got to be the oldest Championship record on the books?
Malyutin now number 12 all time, in between Matsumoto and Park.
Russia vs. GB…… the battle of the 4 x 200 free relay.
And Australia
Only if we can get one or more swimmers who can do 1:44 flat start on demand. All 1:45s doesn’t seem enough anymore.